In under three weeks’ time, the deadline for the Government’s future agricultural policy consultation will be upon us.

Come May 9, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and his Defra team will retreat to the darkest corners of Whitehall to begin the monumental task of analysing 10 weeks’ worth of responses from farmers, landowners and food producers across the country – all keen to share their thoughts on how a new domestic policy should look and work for the industry.

And hopefully among those contributions set to land on Mr Gove’s desk next month will be plenty from the South West, from farmers and growers on the front line of production working day-in, day-out to put food of world-leading quality not only on the region’s but nation’s dining tables.

It really is in farmers’ interests to join the consultation and give their view on how direct payments under the CAP should be phased out, the range of public goods that could qualify for government funding and measures to move away from unnecessary red tape, as well as new industry incentives to drive innovation and profitability.

It was only in last week’s Farmers Guardian that Mr Gove stressed he wanted as many people as possible to respond to the consultation, in order to ensure that future policy was not shaped by “vested interests with the money, connections or power to push their agenda”.

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Mr Gove is not a farmer or food producer. Decisions made following this consultation on the industry’s future outside of the European Union won’t affect how he goes about his day-to-day life or manages his finances.

But for farmers, these proposals are arguably the most significant development in Government laying out UK agricultural policy since the passing of the 1947 Agriculture Act. Whether you’re growing cauliflowers in West Cornwall, producing free range eggs in Devon or rearing Belted Galloways on the heights of Exmoor, change after Brexit is inevitable.

Farmers all around the country - including the South West - are being urged to submit their evidence to the Government's future agricultural policy consultation

Therefore it is so important that farmers make the time to read the consultation paper and submit their evidence. You’re the ones who know and understand the countryside better than any politician ever could. Knowledge which has not been learned out of a text book, but rather passed down through the generations.

We desperately want Mr Gove to listen to what farmers have to say, but in order to do that farmers themselves must speak up. It’s no use keeping your knowledge and opinions to yourself. While life on the farm will undoubtedly be busy over the next few weeks, as many will be playing catch-up after all the recent rain, hopefully farmers who haven’t yet taken part in the consultation can find the time of an evening to sit down and make their voices heard.